O'Brien: On voting, nothing to brag about

Sunday

Jan 26, 2014 at 12:30 AMJan 26, 2014 at 10:14 PM

By Erin O’BrienGuest Columnist

The "liberal hotbed" of Massachusetts ranks near the bottom of the 50 states when it comes to how easy it is for citizens to legally cast a ballot.Nonpartisan think tanks and nonprofits who promote civic engagement, like the Pew Charitable Trusts and Rock the Vote, place Massachusetts #34 and #42 respectively among the 50 states in terms of voter access. Their systematic comparisons take into account factors like registration or absentee ballot problems, military ballots rejected or unreturned, and youth voting. And we’re at the back of the pack. Let’s hear it Bay Staters, "We’re number 42!" …behind, er, voting access "stalwarts" like Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.Massachusetts is one of just 15 states with no form of early voting. Even as more and more state and city services are conducted via the internet, our citizens cannot register online. Our absentee voting rules are amongst the most rigid in the nation. As the eyes of the nation turn to the Justice Department’s suit against North Carolina for eliminating same-day voter registration and shortening their early voting period, it is telling that neither of these options have ever been available for citizens of the commonwealth.Some might point to occasional high voter turnout in Massachusetts and conclude state election procedures do not need updating. According to the U.S. Elections Project, Massachusetts sometimes scores well on voter turnout – eighth in the nation in 2012 (with a hot U.S. Senate race on the ballot) and sixteenth in 2008. Importantly, Census Bureau data shows that Massachusetts is the most educated state and enjoys the fifth highest median income. This matters because education and income are the best predictors of who votes. By these indicators, Massachusetts should lead the nation in voter participation. That the commonwealth falls so far short is attributable, in part, to outdated rules that govern Massachusetts’ elections.Until recently, state legislators have done little to alter this state of affairs. A Senate bill passed by a 37-1 vote on January 16, 2014, however, is a potential game-changer.The Senate bill stands in sharp contrast to the House version passed in 2013. The House bill offered an imperfect step forward by providing for online voter registration, a worthwhile move, but only a half-hearted foray into early voting, which would be offered in presidential elections, but not on weekends, and only mandated one locale per municipality (regardless of population). The Senate’s version, however, provides for nearly two weeks of early voting - including the crucial Saturday and Sunday before Election Day - for all state and federal primaries and general elections. Even better, it includes election day registration, post-election audits, pre-registration for 16 and 17 year-olds, and other improvements.Having versions of the voter access bill pass both the House and Senate opens an unparalleled window of opportunity for Massachusetts. To capitalize on it, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo must spend the political capital to see the legislation through to Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk. Similar bills have been allowed to die again and again over the past few decades. This cannot happen again.History remembers those who expand the right to vote. With Senate President Murray soon to give up her gavel, Speaker DeLeo halfway through the customary eight-year tenure of House leaders, and Governor Patrick not running for re-election, the bill has a chance at a remarkable legacy for all three. Not to mention the thousands of voters who could benefit and victory for civic engagement.Massachusetts, let’s be number one!Erin O’Brien is a professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and a member of the Scholars Strategy Network.